Georgian Economy Minister highlights energy development for country’s European aspirations at substation opening

Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili on Monday underscored the Government's dedication to establishing an "independent, dignified, European state", while also emphasising the importance of harnessing the country's energy potential in achieving the objective, in comments during the opening ceremony of the Tskaltubo 500 substation in the country’s west.

With the right policies and backing from the public, Georgia has the potential to not only develop necessary energy capacities for its domestic consumption but also become a reliable partner for other countries, including those in Europe, in terms of energy cooperation”, Davitashvili said.

In line with these ambitions, Davitashvili said the Government planned to double the country's installed energy capacity to 10,000 MW by 2030, ensuring sustained economic growth and fostering the development of new, energy-intensive industries.

The Tskaltubo substation project, supported financially by the World Bank, was executed by a joint venture of foreign companies, with construction led by the Turkish firm BEST. The project, which commenced in 2022, employed about 350 individuals and was facilitated with a total cost of $19.8 million.

• Georgian PM says new substation in west to bolster high-voltage infrastructure, help country meet growing electricity demands

Davitashvili also highlighted the importance of enhancing connectivity with neighbouring countries of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey, as well as establishing direct links to the European Union through a proposed Black Sea submarine cable project.

These efforts are intended to attract investors to Georgia's energy sector and facilitate the construction of additional high-standard substations”, Davitashvili said.

The Turkish Ambassador to Georgia, Ali Kaan Orbay, who attended the ceremony, reaffirmed his country’s role as a “strategic partner” and its readiness to collaborate on joint initiatives to promote “peace, stability, and economic development” in the wider region.

He also congratulated Georgia on the election of the new President on Saturday, noting the “perfect political and economic ties” between the two nations. Orbay noted Turkey had been Georgia's top trading partner for the last 15 years, largely due to the free trade agreement in place.

We had initially set a target of $3 billion for our trade turnover, which we have now surpassed. During the recent visit of the Prime Minister of Georgia to Turkey, we agreed to raise this target to $5 billion. We are working steadily towards this goal and plan to exceed it”, the Ambassador said.

Turkey is one of the leading countries for direct investments in Georgia, with a total investment of $2.5 billion dollars. Our companies are involved in various sectors and significantly contribute to the development of this beautiful country”, he added.

Orbay highlighted the importance of cooperation in the energy sector, focusing on significant regional projects such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline.